Improvement in spring air-guns



P. O'CONNOR & J. J. IDINNAN.

SPRING AIR-GUN.

NO. 190,893. Patented May 15 1877.

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W ATTORNEYS- I 6 d NvENToRs, %(Z@W6 N.PETERS, PHOTO-LITHUGRAPHER.WASHXNQTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK CCONNOR AND JOHN J. DINNAN, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING AIR-GUNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,898, dated May 15,1877; application filed January 6, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PATRICK OOoNNoR and JOHN J. DINNAN, of New Haven,in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a newand valuable 111lprovement in Pistols; and we do .hereby declare thatthe following is'a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a central verticalsection of our pistol, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig.3 is a rear view thereof. Fig. 4 is a side view, part sectional, of ourpistol.

This invention relates to small arms for the projection of missiles, andmore especially to pistols.

The nature of said invention consists mainly. in the employment of aspring-operated piston, in combination with a barrel having a loading-opening near its cylinder, so as to leave an air-space or air-cushionbetween the said piston and the dart or other missile.

It also consists in certain devices and com binations, whereby the saidweapon may be prepared for discharge either by draft applied at thebreech thereof or pressure applied near the front of cylinder.-

It also consists in certain devices for uncovering the loading-openingby the same movement that prepares the spring and piston for discharge.

It also consists in certain devices for causing and facilitating thereplacement of said uncovering and cocking devices.

In the accompanying drawings, A designates the butt of a pistolembodying my invention, which butt is cast in one piece with a cylinder,

B. The rear of said cylinder is closed by a breech and piston, is placeda helical spring, E, which is compressed whenever said piston is drawnback by the backward movement of rod C. This may be effected in twodifferent ways by the devices hereinafter described.

On the rear end of said rod C is formed a ring, E, and also a cross-bar,e, which connects said rod C to another and longer rod, F, paralleltherewith. Said rod F passes through lugs or eyes ff, rigidly connectedto cylinder B, near the front and rear thereof, and carries at its frontend, which is prolonged some distance beyond said barrel, a disk, G.Said rods C and F, cross-bar e, and ring E are preferably constructed inone piece. When draft is applied to ring E or pressure to disk G, rod Cand piston D are forced backward, and spring E is compressed.

The said piston in such backward motion passes over theinwardly-extending point of a sear or catch, H, which is pivoted withinthe under part of said cylinder B, and adapted to be tripped by atrigger, I. Said sear looks or holds piston D against the expansiveforce of spring E until thus tripped by pressing the finger upon saidtrigger, in the usual manner.

K designates a cylindrical barrel, which is detachably secured to thesolid front end of said cylinder B by screwingits screw-threaded rearend into a correspondingly-threaded perforation in the same. Said barrelis provided in its top, near the cylinder, with an opening, It, throughwhich the missile is introduced. The said barrel Kis braced andsupported by a perforated block, I, on a bar or rigid arm, L, which baris made solid with said cylinder B, or rigidly attached thereto, andextends forward directly under said barrel K. Said arm or bar islongitudinally slotted at L, so as to guide a stud, G, formed on theupper part of disk G. Said stud engages with an annular flange, m, on aloose sleeve, M, which slides longitudinally on said barrel K. When inits most forward position, the said sleeve M covers opening it, throughwhich the dart or other missile is introduced, as described.

Between perforated lugs 01' eyes ff is placed a cylindrical casing orshield, N, surrounding a helical spring, 0, which is wound about rod F,and bears at its front end against a shoulder or enlarged forward part,F, of the same.

The operation of the above-described devices is as follows: In loading,the operator forces or draws back the rods 0 and F, as hereinbeforedescribed, until the piston I) iscocked or locked by the sear H, and theseeve M is removed by stud or finger G from opening 70. The said rodsare then released, when spring 0 throws them forward into their normalposition, the head or disk cof piston-rod 0 passing freely along theinside of tube 0. The missile is then introduced into opening k, andsleeve M is slipped back over the same. When aim has been taken, thetrigger I is pressed, releasing piston D from sear H, and springE thenthrows said piston forward. The impulse thus given is communicated,through the body of air in barrel K, to the missile introduced, as abovedescribed, which is thus expelled with considerable force. The degree ofsaid force depends mainly upon the strength of spring E, the amount offriction between piston D and the inside of cylinder B, and the more orless perfectly air-tight construction and connection of the saidcylinder and barrel K.

The above-described invention may be applied, with slight mechanicalchanges, to guns as well as pistols, and to toys as well as weapons ofoffense.

By the construction above described we are enabled to load near thecylinder, and still impart to the missile almost the full force of thespring E. The interposed air-space or cushion preserves both saidmissile and piston D from being injured or worn by use. We are alsoenabled to employ a smaller barrel, K, than would be possible if thespring-operated piston D impinged directly against said missile.

Fig. 4 shows distinctly the construction of scar H and trigger I. Theupper end of said sear is provided with a short born or catch, h, at anangle thereto, which horn retains piston D until released thereform bytrigger I. The other end of said sear sets into a rectangular recess, t,in the nearer angle of said trigger, which is approximately triangularin shape. I designates the solid trigger-guard protecting both sides ofthe trigger, i the set-screw for said trigger, and h the sear-spring.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 154-- 1.Rods 0 and F, cross-bar a, ring E, and disk G rigidly attached,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Beds 0 and F, cross-bar e, and ring E, in combination withreplacing-spring O and tube 0, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of barrelK, havingopening k, with sleeve M, havingannnular flange m, stud or finger G on disk G, rods 0 and F, piston D,and spring 0, substantially as described.

4. The combination of spring-retracted rod F, carrying stud or finger G,with flanged sleeve M and slotted or perforated barrel K, substantiallyas described.

5. A pistol provided with an impelling-piston and piston-rod, incombination with devices, substantially as described, attached thereto,whereby the said pistol may be cooked either by pressure applied nearthe front of cylinder or by draft applied at the breech.

6. The combination of trigger I, having guard I, set-screw '11, andrecess 5, with sear H, having born or catch h, and sear-sprin g h,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the above we have hereunto subscribed ournames in the presence of two witnesses.

PATRICK OOONNOB. JOHN J. DINNAN. Witnesses:

O. T. DRISOOLL, ADOLPH ASHER.

